Should Manchester United sack Jose Mourinho next season (2018-19)?
“Manchester United never sacks managers in the middle of the season” -We were the team who used to set the trend of having faith in their managers. Trusting them to deliver and bring silverware. The likes Sir Matt Busby , Sir Bobby Charlton , Sir Alex Ferguson were the pillars of this club.Finally “Sir David Moyes” broke this tradition and we became the followers. You know I do empathize with this man. He was a misfit at Manchester United. Though his treatment was sad but justified.Mr Van Gaal knew before the end of the season that it was his last and both the manager and the club mutually parted ways. Though his post managerial actions didn’t justify that. His vindictive nature took the better of him and there were even rumors that before the EUROPA League final he gave some inside tips to the Ajax players on how to beat United. He is bad looser!! . That’s why I respect Moyes more than Van Gaal.Mourinho is a bigger manager than both of them , so sacking him before the season will be tough. Also I feel, if he can keep United hovering around the top 4 spot , his chances of staying still the end of the season is high because no club will be taking the risk of bringing in an all together different philosophy in the middle of the season at a time when top 4 looks achievable.But tell me some thing. Are there any better managers around currently from the available ones who can manage United?Lets see some of the available options if he is sacked before the end of the season : -Zidane - I doubt Premier League will be happy hunting ground for him. There is a hell and heaven difference between managing a top quality side in La Liga and an above average side in the Premier League.Conte :- Won’t come to United, not in the middle of the season at least. Also the treatment he got from Chelsea makes him highly unlikely to be back in the Premier League. My opinion - Conte is not an United type of manager.Other options if he is sacked at the end of the season : -Pep Guardiola - The only man I think who can change the current dynamic of this club. But don’t see him leaving City.Pochettino - A manager with a huge potential. The way he transformed Spurs is commendable. But United players will not give a shit about him. He will suffer the same fate as David Moyes.P.S. : -I don’t remember anyone else who can be an ideal replacement for Mourinho.Let me know your choices.
Was sacking David Moyes the right way forward for Manchester United?
Yes. Moyes failed in just about every facet of the job possible on such a public stage. It is entirely possible that he could have begun to turn it around next season as he seemed to feel was possible. But the reality is that a failure to properly prosecute his first season in terms of transfers, tactics, and man management only proved his failings. Even if you allow for all the caveats imaginable such as a weaker squad, poor results from Woodward, etc. the responsibility is the manager's to prepare and play a competent side. Moyes never got much beyond an erratic and poorly inspired mid-table side, which would probably have gotten any other manager sacked by the Olympiakos game if they were not so anointed by Sir Alex.Moyes seems like a decent and nice man, which is why I can't be happy about the epic public humiliation his tenure in Manchester has become. But he gave absolutely no indication that he was capable of addressing the problems that plagued him for 10 months and you really can't say he covered himself in any glory that owed him another kick at the can.
Between Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson, who's the "better" manager?
Roy Keane said that he preferred Brian Clough for his warmth and human side, whilst Ferguson was all business. He didn't say Clough was a better manager. Also, don't forget Keane's motivation for that statement, he was cut from the United side by Ferguson in what he felt was an unfair and cold manner --which was a good decision for the club-- so he doesn't really hold Ferguson in high esteem any more.Read Greg Gordon's answer for a pretty spot-on reason for Ferguson being the superior.Just look at Clough's honours - 2 titles (one with Derby, one with Forest), 2 European Cups and 4 League Cups. Doesn't even come close to what Ferguson won. People point to the fact he did most of it at Forest - look at what Ferguson did with Aberdeen.The reason for the constant comparison is the 2 European Cups, which was a fantastic achievement. Unbelievable. At that point the English generally reigned supreme in Europe. From 1977 to 1984 English teams won 7 out of 8 European Cups. When Ferguson got United into the Champions League England was just coming off the end of a ban on European football, English clubs were years behind the other countries. This is one reason our league is so good, it developed without Europe and is what it is today because of it.Ultimately though, despite Clough's brief success, he went years with little success and eventually Forest were relegated with him at the helm. Yes, RELEGATED.A poor season for Ferguson was United not winning a trophy, but this would be one or two seasons, whilst he rebuilt his squad, after which he won trophies again.Frankly, the comparison of the two is a bit silly really.
What is your favorite team in the English Premier League?
All my life (well, since becoming aware of professional football at age 6–7 ish) I’ve supported two teams in the English League; I supported Tottenham Hotspur in the top flight, and AFC Bournemouth in the lower leagues. Tottenham because I happened to turn the radio on one afternoon in May 1981, just in time to hear commentary of Ricky Villa’s wonder goal in the FA Cup Final replay, and Bournemouth because they are my local professional team.That was all well and good for many years, but in the last three years Bournemouth have been playing in the Premier League - an unbelievable achievement considering they almost went out of business just ten years ago, and started the 2008/09 season with a 17 point deduction in League 2 for financial irregularities. But since then it’s been an almost continual improvement under Eddie Howe culminating with establishing themselves in the Premier League.The problem for me then is who do I support when my two teams come up against each other! As it turned out, when they first played each other I found that I had to support the Spurs - they were my team, the team I chose and the team I’ve invested 35+ years in.So across a PL season, I want Bournemouth to win 36 of their 38 games. But I want Tottenham to win all 38.